Hospitals Try To Control Readmissions, Even When It Hurts Profits

December 15th, 2011

Starting next fall, HHS will begin penalizing hospitals if their readmission rates are higher than expected for three conditions: heart attacks, heart failure and pneumonia. As such, hospitals are making strides to avoid these repercussions.

The battle over Medicare drug changes

September 27th, 2011

Why should taxpayers pay more for a Medicare patient to receive the same medicine as a Medicaid patient, asks President Obama. There are plenty of reasons why, say drugmakers.

Chronically ill could suffer from Medicaid cuts

September 21st, 2011

Proposed cuts in federal matching dollars to PA’s Medicaid services could make it much harder for chronically ill patients to find doctors, and services if they do find a doctor.

It could soon literally pay to be on Medicaid

September 21st, 2011

PA may be about to try a new strategy for Medicaid recipients: paying them (sometimes up to $200) to visit higher quality and lower cost doctors and hospitals.

Obama Plan Would Fix Costly Health Law Glitch

September 20th, 2011

Obama’s health care law contained an error which would allow married early retirees to qualify for Medicaid — costing tax payers $14.6 billion. Today, the Associated Press reported on the Administration’s fix.

Obama Proposes Cuts to Medicare and Medicaid

September 20th, 2011

And, expect those cuts to be large — $320 billion over 10 years — reports The New York Times.

Proposed cuts to Medicare and Medicaid could make it impossible for PA hospitals to profit

August 29th, 2011

The proposal to cut Medicare and Medicaid programs could make it difficult for Pennsylvania hospitals to remain profitable, forcing doctors to stop seeing Medicare patients.

Hospitals are facing possible downgrades

August 16th, 2011

Vulnerable hospitals are taking certain steps of protection such as cutting back services, and delaying projects due to a decrease in ratings.

New members to ’super committee’ oppose cuts to Medicare

August 12th, 2011

House Democratic Leader, Nancy Pelosi, has announced three new members to the deficit-reduction panel, who are leaders in opposition to cuts in Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

Dems oppose Obama administration on federal Medicaid law

August 9th, 2011

Democrats insist that the Obama administration is making it more difficult for the poor to get health care due to a misinterpretation of the federal Medicaid law.